5C: How is success in leadership and management recognised?

There is a clear strategy for family learning, which staff and partners understand. The family learning steering group, which includes a cross-section of interested partners from across the borough, develops the strategic direction of the family learning provision. This group advises on the direction and developments of the family learning strategy and ensures cohesion between the local education authority’s strategic plan, and the strategic direction of the family learning provision. The family learning provision is targeted at the families of underachieving school pupils and families with language and social exclusion problems. Schools included in the family learning programme are prioritised according to the borough’s index of deprivation. Within these schools, provision is targeted at those children with the lowest achievement in literacy and/or numeracy or specific groups, such travellers or refugees.

There is strategic planning of family learning through a multidisciplinary partnership within the local authority. The Family Learning Action Group produced an action plan that is currently being evaluated […] The four geographical areas have Family Learning Operational Action Groups to progress actions locally.

The Family Learning Network has brought together partners from the library service, social services, a local further education college and schools to jointly plan and deliver training and events. For example, members of this group have planned a showcase event to promote family learning and share good practice. The coordinator for family learning chairs and organises the network, although responsibility for progressing action is shared. The service has clear contracts with schools and other community providers to establish respective roles and responsibilities in programme provision.

The local management of family learning is very effective. Managers are quick to identify and respond to the learning needs of the community and to develop learning programmes and progression programmes. Managers have a clear strategy for the future of family learning and this contributes to curriculum planning.

At the local level, quality assurance systems are good. Course files are regularly monitored and updated. Tutors and learners contribute to the end of course reviews and the results of these are shared with the rest of the team.

An effective quality assurance system is developing. A teaching observation scheme has recently been introduced for family learning. There are comprehensive and detailed course files and documents. The newly devised quality assurance systems are having an impact on improving teaching and learning practice. A number of specialist reviews have been carried out to help develop future practice.

The schools programme is managed and closely monitored and developed by an appropriately experienced external consultant working for the borough. There is good monitoring of family learning in the schools programme, with annual workshops and conferences to help schools develop their provision and share good practice. Programmes provided by the community and voluntary sector are well managed.

There is a culture of continuous improvement within family learning and a comprehensive programme of staff development is provided. Staff frequently participate in training courses and are well supervised and supported by their team leader. There is a schedule for regular class observations and tutors find the observations useful in improving their teaching. Staff have a good understanding of the key objectives for the family learning area.

A number of effective in-service training and professional development opportunities are available to part-time staff. Good support is available to part-time tutors and the recently established tutor forum has improved communication and sharing of good practice throughout the borough.

There are particularly effective partnerships with schools. A positive parenting strategy promotes and encourages family learning and parental involvement. The Excellence Cluster of 10 primary and 5 secondary schools has a theme of parents as partners.

Equal opportunities is satisfactory, with positive images in buildings and useful equal opportunities statements in course handbooks. In many sessions, tutors check to ensure learners can all see and hear. There is good use of bilingual support for learners when required.

Staff are appropriately qualified and staff development is considered important to the success of the programmes. All staff have a teaching qualification and have completed the core curriculum training and the national pilot of family learning.

[P]art-time tutors who provide family learning are very skilled and appropriately qualified. All have a teaching qualification and relevant experience of working with children and adults.

There is very good leadership with carefully constructed strategic operational plans to attract under-represented groups and engage them in introductory learning.

View the inspection report for Staffordshire LEA

In family learning the management of the curriculum is good and the staff team is motivated and committed. There is effective communication between staff and managers. The family learning manager has strong links with partners. Effective use is made of feedback from learners to evaluate courses and guide planning […] Strategies to develop service-wide provision are particularly effective. A strategic management group provides sound guidance for senior managers and good scrutiny of corporate business plans.

View the inspection report for Newcastle upon Tyne LEA

The leadership and management of family learning are good. Strategic and curriculum management are particular effective with coherent strategies for implementing and improving a good range of family learning across the area. There are good links with school improvement services and community development sections of the council and currently courses running in around 25 schools and community venues. There is good targeting with an emphasis on socially excluded learners.

View the reinspection report for Luton LEA